Some Medications Can Be Difficult, Even Dangerous, To Stop

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Some Medications Can Be Difficult, Even Dangerous, To Stop

By JOE GRAEDON And TERESA GRAEDON

January 18, 2008

Savvy patients have learned that it is essential to ask physicians and

pharmacists about side effects before they take any medicine. Drugs can cause

reactions that range from mild discomfort to life-threatening complications.

Even a thoughtful consumer may forget another crucial question: What will happen

when I stop this medication? Many drugs can cause trouble if they are stopped

abruptly.

The patient information on the back of an ad for the antidepressant Effexor XR

has a heading, " What happens when I stop using Effexor XR? " When people stop

suddenly, they may experience symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, confusion,

diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, muscle twitching, headaches, insomnia, loss of

appetite, nausea, nervousness, nightmares, poor coordination, seizures, sensory

disturbances (like electric-shock sensations), sleepiness, sweating, tinnitus,

tremor, unpleasant mood or vomiting.

That's hardly a pleasant prospect. We wonder if people review that list before

they begin taking this drug.

Effexor XR is not the only medicine that can cause symptoms if it is stopped

abruptly. Other antidepressants, such as Paxil or Zoloft, may cause similar

problems.

Anti-anxiety medications are notorious for causing withdrawal symptoms when they

are stopped suddenly. We heard from one person: " I would like to warn your

readers about the dangers of long-term use of benzodiazepines (tranquilizers

like Klonopin, Valium, Ativan or Xanax). A psychiatrist prescribed Klonopin for

me for a year because of an anxiety disorder. I became addicted to it and began

to have severe withdrawal symptoms between doses. I tried to taper off the drug

but was unsuccessful.

" Finally, I checked into a psychiatric hospital for detox. The withdrawal from

this drug was HORRIBLE, with extreme agitation, sensitivity to light and noise,

sweating, cold chills, muscle twitching and fear of being left alone. Some days

all I could do was sit and rock and cry.

" It has taken me a year to recover. Some people are extremely sensitive to these

drugs and should not take them longer than several weeks. "

Psychiatric drugs aren't the only ones that may be hard to stop.

Acid-suppressing medicines such as Prilosec or Nexium can trigger severe stomach

acidity when they are discontinued. One reader wrote: " I have tried to get off

Prilosec. I am strong-willed and can do almost anything I set my mind to -

except stop this drug.

" The first day I stopped was not too bad. The next day, my empty stomach was on

fire. It felt like I had a bad second-degree sunburn inside my stomach. I was in

tears, bent double at times, and my husband and a friend told me to PLEASE start

back on Prilosec because they could not take my moaning. I took the Prilosec and

felt much better the next day. I'll never try that again! "

People need to understand the consequences of stopping medication before they

begin. Whether it's an over-the-counter decongestant nasal spray or a

prescription antidepressant, getting off the drug can be extremely challenging.

Write to Joe and Graedon at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.